OBIT: John H. WALSH, 1880, Johnstown, Cambria County, PA

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Accident at Johnstown.

  Yesterday afternoon a fatal accident of a distressing character 
occurred at Johnstown.  John H. Walsh, a machinist in the employ of the 
Cambria Works for some two years past, met with instant death, under 
the following circumstances: The locomotive known as the "Coffee Pot," 
which is used in the rolling mill yard, has been laid up for repairs 
for some time past in the machine shop of that corporation, and 
yesterday the necessary work was finished.  At 2 o'clock the workmen 
began "jacking" it up for the purpose of having the wheels placed under 
it, to run it out on the tracks.  Mr. Walsh was assisting in this part 
of the work, and when it was nearly high enough for the purpose 
intended the floor upon which the jacks rested gave way and the weight 
of the locomotive came down on his head, as he was at that instant just 
under the ash pan.  The result was that his skull was fractured and the 
entire head flattened out to a thickness of not more than two or three 
inches.  As soon as his horrified fellow-workmen could bring levers to 
bear the engine was pried up, but it was evident that death had been 
instantaneous.  There was not the least sign of life about the body 
beyond a few spasmodic contractions of his legs, and it is not at all 
probable that he knew the least sense of pain.

Morning Tribune, Altoona, Pa., Wednesday, August 11, 1880